Pregnant or Not

Bugzy4Lady · Feb 21, 2012

I have been raising meat rabbits for about 8 months now (true greenhorn) and the one thing that I find frustrating is trying to tell whether or not a doe is expecting. I have tried and tried to feel if a doe has "little" marbles after about 10 days-still have never felt anything in a doe. I have tried placing the doe back in with the buck to see if she has an attitude with him-no luck. I was wondering if anyone else has an easier or better method of determining this. It just seems sooo frustrating to wait 35 days and then no buns! Can you tell by their weight or by how much they eat? I bred two does two weeks ago, one has gained 1/2 lb so far and is eating like a real pig these days the other one is not. Also the one who is not eating more is only 7 months old. Any advice is truly welcomed. :?

OneAcreFarm · Feb 21, 2012

Really, the best way to tell is to learn to palpate. The more you do it, the better you will get. Take a look at this....

http://arba.net/PDFs/palpation.pdf

It was very helpful to me. Also, just palpating open does and bucks even will give you a feel for what NOT PREGNANT feels like, and make it easier for you to tell when someone IS pregnant!

MamaSheepdog · Feb 21, 2012

OneAcreFarm":4m6hb8v9 said:
Really, the best way to tell is to learn to palpate. The more you do it, the better you will get. Take a look at this....

http://arba.net/PDFs/palpation.pdf

I'll have to check dates, but I think I have a couple of bred maiden does to try this with, and plenty of open ones to compare them to as well.

skysthelimit · Feb 21, 2012

I still can't tell, perhaps I am not pressing hard enough, but I'd rather not feel any harder than I need. At about 25 days or so, I can feel the kits moving around, if the doe still lets me handle her. For the most part, my does become really grumpy and uncooperative after sucessful breeding, and that's all I have to go on.

Bugzy4Lady · Feb 21, 2012

I did try to check my three does that should be bred and are at just about the two week stage. The younger one I did not feel anything but the older two I noticed a definite small sack inside the does where it kits should be, is this the kits? I did not want to press too hard. Can anyone confirm that perhaps this is a definite sign they are expecting? Now I am wondering if I am correct that the younger one is not bred and that I should let her visit Bugzy again.

ollitos · Feb 21, 2012

We palpated at 11 days and felt nothing. Then checked her again a couple days later and felt what we hoped was a kit. Try waiting a few extra days. I believe - but I'd have to double check - that you can palpate at up to 15 days without harm to the kits. They don't recommend putting her back in with the buck because he could jump her and she could get pregnant with a second litter which causes a whole heap of issues.

We have our first litter coming up so this is all very new to me. Feel free to totally disregard everything I've said. LOL But I do understand your palpation and waiting frustrations. We have customers waiting on meat so losing time means losing money.